This invention relates in general to a pre-heater for heating up rail ends before they are welded together, and more particularly to a pre-heater having a hydraulically powered blower and a source for propane gas or other combustible media to be regulated and mixed to produce a fuel mixture for a torch.
It is well known to weld together the ends of rail used in railroad track particularly to provide a continuous track. It is also well known to weld rail ends together using an aluminothermic process or any comparable process. Before making a weld by such a process, it is well known to preheat the rail ends to enhance the efficiency of the welding process.
It is also well known to preheat rail ends by use of a type of bottled fuel supply system to produce the heat necessary for preheating process. Work crews must handle gas bottles that are very cumbersome and that carry a monthly demurrage charge. Further, these gas bottles or tanks must be stored on trucks where storage space is at a premium, are cumbersome to handle, and the work crews sometimes have difficulty in finding and locating businesses for exchange of empty bottles or tanks.
The pre-heater of the present invention overcomes the problems encountered with prior known pre-heaters wherein the pre-heater of the invention not only employs a hydraulically powered blower but also utilizes propane gas or other fuel as the combustible media.
Railroad maintenance crews have a source of hydraulic power so that the hydraulic powered blower can easily be driven. Secondly, use of propane gas enables the crew to purchase propane gas or fill propane tanks at any number of local stores frequented by consumers that provide such propane service. These local stores include discount stores, home stores, farm stores, gas stations, small grocery stores and others. These propane tanks are portable and can be easily carried to and from a truck by a single person, as they are the types used in outdoor barbecue grills. Further, such propane tanks do not take up a lot of space, are economical, and could allow elimination of acetylene gas and oxygen bottles on trucks. The pre-heater of the invention is portable and easily handled by crew members.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved pre-heater for rail ends that will facilitate the welding of rail ends, wherein the pre-heater includes a hydraulically driven blower and a source for propane gas or other combustible media to be regulated and mixed.
Another object of the present invention is in the provision of a portable rail pre-heater having a minimum number of parts and which is fueled by propane gas or other combustible media from a tank or bottle, and the tank or bottle may be easily obtained or filled at any local store outlet servicing such tanks or bottles.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a hydraulically powered pre-heater for heating rail ends before they are welded together and which includes a hydraulically driven blower to produce a substantially constant air flow and a source for propane gas or other combustible media from a simple tank or bottle that can be regulated and mixed and then delivered to a torch for producing a flame to heat up rail ends.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed disclosure, taken in conjunction with the accompanying sheets of drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts.